1,1,1-trichloroethane is used inter alia as a solvent for cleaning and removing grease from metal articles or for chemical cleaning. For these purposes, chemical stabilization to prevent decomposition is an absolute necessity. Stabilizing agents for chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane, are known and are in common use. The stabilizer must, however, be chosen specifically for the respective chlorinated hydrocarbon. It is impossible to make predictions in respect of the stabilizing properties of certain classes of chemical substances; knowledge of stabilizing property of a compound for one chlorinated hydrocarbon cannot be assumed to be applicable to other chlorinated hydrocarbons.
A wide variety of compounds or mixtures are generally used to stabilize 1,1,1-trichloroethane. The most important compound is nitromethane, but epoxides, alcohols, ethers, olefins, amines, alkoxyalkanes, ketones, nitriles and organic esters are also, or have been, used. Usually mixtures of the said substances are used. The disadvantage of hitherto known stabilizer mixtures is that large quantities of the stabilizers must be added to the 1,1,1-trichloroethane to be stabilized in order to achieve effective stabilization. This results in changes in the properties of the stabilized 1,1,1-trichloroethane.